I don't think the old 35L will sell for more than it sells now used (max. 1100 USD).

Did you price the 24-70 MkI before the MkII vs. now? $900-1100 a few months ago, $1400 today. When the MkII came out, retailers immediately raised prices on remaining MkI stock to full MSRP (well above street price), and used prices followed suit. Same with the 70-200/2.8 IS, and it was about 2 years (i.e. beginning of this year) that used MkI prices returned to their pre-MkII levels. So I think it's quite probable the same will happen with the 35L...

So what you're saying is that I can buy a 35/1.4 MkI now and just wait for the 35/1.4 MkII to come out, then sell the 35/1.4 MkI at a nice profit?

God what a bunch of suckers Canon shooters are!

Love it!

The above was a forward-looking statement. Past performance is not a guarantee of future yields. YMMV. But...probably!

There is a fly in the ointment ... Great rouse to stem the sigma tide, but "end of march" will eventually become "delayed due to my aunt falling on her back till late July" ...then release 7 copies in august to keep the pot boiling and mass availability in November or December at the usual high initial price...

This is not cynicism, this is what we have seen repeatedly in the past few release timeline with high end canon lenses.Well practiced marketing strategy... It is called "stringing people along".

Having been thinking about the 35 1.4 for a while, I was wondering how much time would the 35 1.4 owners shoot at f2 or wider? I shoot at wide open a lot except for the 50 1.4. Any info is appreciated.

There is a fly in the ointment ... Great rouse to stem the sigma tide, but "end of march" will eventually become "delayed due to my aunt falling on her back till July" ...then release 7 copies to keep the pot boiling and mass availability in November at the usual high initial price... This is not cynicism, this is what we have seen repeatedly in the past few release timeline with high end canon lenses.Well practiced marketing strategy.

By x-mas of 2013, Canon offer $200ish rebate plus BH discount.....I see the delay as pro

Having been thinking about the 35 1.4 for a while, I was wondering how much time would the 35 1.4 owners shoot at f2 or wider? I shoot at wide open a lot except for the 50 1.4. Any info is appreciated.

i rarely shoot the 35L at 1.4 as it tends to go a bit soft wide open and it is just damn hard to nail focus at that aperture for the type of shooting i do. i am however in love with it at F2.0....it just sings at that aperture.

Having been thinking about the 35 1.4 for a while, I was wondering how much time would the 35 1.4 owners shoot at f2 or wider? I shoot at wide open a lot except for the 50 1.4. Any info is appreciated.

My old 35L is perennially stuck at 1.4. Remember this is not a do-it-all lens if you are getting your feet wet... It is a great low light indoors lens in smallish spaces...it is also usable for traditional street photography. Indoors you usually know the subjects and you can jostle closer and they won't mind.

In large events or even for street my personal preference is actually for something longer so you can hang back and go for candid shots with out the camera in strangers' faces. With the 35L if you hang way too back you get those listless wide shots with tiny people doing too many things. Not too compelling. So you have to get a bit closer with 35L in general to have a coherent intimate theme... Outdoors or indoors. Much of my use for this lens has been indoors ambient light wide open. Performs like a champ!

There is a fly in the ointment ... Great rouse to stem the sigma tide, but "end of march" will eventually become "delayed due to my aunt falling on her back till July" ...then release 7 copies to keep the pot boiling and mass availability in November at the usual high initial price... This is not cynicism, this is what we have seen repeatedly in the past few release timeline with high end canon lenses.Well practiced marketing strategy.

By x-mas of 2013, Canon offer $200ish rebate plus BH discount.....I see the delay as pro

True, but they won't do that for a brand new product... Even with the 24-70 II, it is newish...but it has been around a few months before we saw the rebate.

I don't think the old 35L will sell for more than it sells now used (max. 1100 USD).

Did you price the 24-70 MkI before the MkII vs. now? $900-1100 a few months ago, $1400 today. When the MkII came out, retailers immediately raised prices on remaining MkI stock to full MSRP (well above street price), and used prices followed suit. Same with the 70-200/2.8 IS, and it was about 2 years (i.e. beginning of this year) that used MkI prices returned to their pre-MkII levels. So I think it's quite probable the same will happen with the 35L...

+1

That has been the pattern for several years now.

I am wondering why Canon would be introducing expensive new lenses at that time. The worldwide econoomic situation, plus many people having to deal with bills from Christmas purchases doesn't sound right. Maybe it won't actually ship until 1915!